Bringing wine home from Europe...help!

You'll have to check it, sorry. You can't take any liquids more than 3 oz.-size in carryon baggage. Why would you have to buy a new suitcase?

Many of us bring home several bottles of wine--we just can't resist. Try to wrap it up in a plastic shopping bag, then some clothes and place it in the middle of your suitcase with plenty of clothes around it. It'll be fine. If you have room, my as well buy another bottle! Yes, you'll have to check it in, but it is so well worth it. If you don't have room in your case, pack a box of your clothes and take that on board or check it in. Have fun and enjoy your vino!

Last year I bought from either Magellen's or TravelSmith, some wine bottle "protectors". They are heavy duty plastic in the shape of a wine bottle. They are almost like bubble wrap. I put them in my checked bags without any problems.

Thanks everyone...we decided that we are just going to check baggage on the flight home instead of paying the stores to ship for us (some offer the service.)

Nancy, we might need to buy a small carry on bag to put our clothing in it as we might have too many liquid items coming home that need to be checked.

Ah, I see. We did something similar coming back from China. We bought a medium duffle bag, filled it with clothes, and checked it.

Why bring wine home from France when there is abundant quality wine from Texas. Ask your wine merchant to stop selling that Washington/Oregon dishwater and get on the Dubyuh train. Just ask Veronica.

Kent, if you are traveling through the Dallas airport, they have a nice winebar that stocks several very nice Texas wines that you can buy by the glass before investing in a bottle. The folks that run it are really knowledgeable and friendly, too. I've picked up wine there when changing planes several times.

Actually, I am not a conneisur (spelling wrong) of either WA or OR wine gentlemen... But if I ever go to Texas, I promise to take home some wine. But now, I have to go catch the train from Florence to Rome...

Kent...so they planted grapes 100 years before we did in California...the only question of any interest for todays wine drinker, is the wine any good? I think we both know the answer for Califorina Wines (and for some good pinot's, Oregon has the terroir)...but the jury's still out on Texas Wine.

not sure if your airline charges for a 2nd baggage check but one time I brought back several bottles of swiss wine. The store was so nice - gave me a box and backed it with bubble wrap and then taped up the box for me. I checked in the box and all the bottles survived - I think I marked it fragile or something.

You can always carry your luggage on the plane and check in this box of wine

hehe. I'm from Texas and I have yet to find a favorite from our area. Texas wine-makers always tend to board the sweet-tooth bus and that is not my style. And if they make a dry, it is usually flavorless. Acidic water.

Yet, I'm a pinot noir and sauvignon blanc lover. I could be wrong. Maybe there are good Texas wines. I love Texas, but our barbecue is far better than our wine, let me tell ya'!

As a Texan, I'm not afraid to admit it! I am proud to say that we are a very friendly bunch of people. The Hill Country is quite beautiful. One of my favorite places to travel. I'm personally a huge fan of Oregon, though...I want to move to Portland someday. I want to live in a place with no sunshine, hehehe.

I just bought two bottles of Dom Perignon today in Epernay, France (outside Reims) and learned from the local post office that you can't mail it home. Should have done my homework before spending 254 euros!

BTW, Moet et Chandon was absolutely zero help. Apparently I was the first person in the history of the universe to ever ask them how to mail their product home. They acted like it was the most bizarre question ever. But this is a common ocurrence in France, the land where customer service simply does not exist. I say this as someone who has traveled a lot in France, studied there for a year, know and appreciate the culture, and speak the language.

And what is it with Texans, wine and Europe? I'm from Dallas.

Clint: Yes you should have done your homework and please cut them some slack on the customer service. One of the main issues with shipping alcohol is the very fractured US regulations concerning shipping, importing, and imbiding Alcohol. When you ship, you have several concerns. First, find a shipper that handles alcohol shipment...you may wonder why any shipper would care, but the US Postal service, Fed-Ex, and UPS all will refuse to ship it. Second, there will be US Customs paperwork that needs to be completed, and depending on the amount, you may have to use a customs broker. and Third, it is very dependent on your State laws as to what is allowed and the procedure. Some states allow no shipment of alcohol into their state, some only allow from sources that they have reciprocal agreements with. Basically, to expect a vineyard to have knowledge of all of this...just for the US...is expecting a bit much. There are places that seem to do very well shiping wine back to the States, but it is not cheap and I have to assume they know enough to "avoid" hassles and problems. (I suspect that wine has some other names used on shipping manifests) As mentioned, pack it well in your checked luggage, Champagne bottles are particularly hardy.

We came back on the weekend with 5 bottles in our checked luggage (yes they were heavy and yes we got carried away) and they all made it through safely. 2 of the bottles were Vouvray sparkling wine. We put clothes on the very bottom of the suitcases, wrapped the bottles in more clothes and then more clothes on top--we also made sure that there wasn't room for stuff to shift.

Our customs limit was 4 (2 each) and we got a lecture from the agent in Montreal, but he let it go after giving us a bit of a lecture on how the next guy might not be so nice.

AKF - That is how we have done it in the past and it has worked so far. This year I have bought four "Wine Mummies" which are just kind of like bubble wrap shaped for a wine bottle but sealable. We once brought back 6 bottles (not really knowing that was too much) and we got a lecture also but the agent was very nice. Now we limit to four even though we'd love to bring more. Don't want to push our luck!

We knew we were over but were prepared to pay duty. Although when the agent said at the beginning of his admonishment "I'll let it go this time but..." we decided to just take the lecture and not volunteer that we were ready to pay :)

And I'm surprised that they didn't know how to ship it...in St. Emilion, there were signs posted in just about every shop saying they'd ship all over the world...but for Canada, the duty just makes it too much...

We bought scotch in Ireland at the airport, was glad I had packed the little inflatable arm swimmers that kids use for a $1 a pair. In Shannon they take it to gate and you can carry it on but in New York we had to put it in our checked bags to get it home. Those cheap arm swimmers did a fantastic job protecting the bottles and didn't weigh but a couple of ounces. So if you have a direct flight and buy at the airport it's possible to carry on the bottles. Oh those little inflatables also feel good behind your lower back on long flights if you've got extras.

I've brought liquor back with me on numerous occasions and never had a problem (most recently in May when I brought back a bottle of lovely Jameson's from dear old Ireland). If you pack them well then the bottles will not break.

Deb, I hate to be a stickler, but are you sure it was scotch and not IRISH whiskey that you bought?? As noted above, I've become fond of Jameson's and proud of my Irish heritage of great whiskey. Sorry for the teasing, I couldn't help it (heh heh).

This might be a dumb question, but cant you just bring it to the post office already in a box all wrapped and everything? And they wont know what is in it? I was planning on doing the same thing on my trip, but if its not allowed, it would save a lot of time and effort. Please let me know...

Re: Paula: Part of the shipping process is to declare, for customs, what is in the package. Yes, you could put down something other than wine, but at the risk of losing your package, or worse.

Thank you so much for letting me know that... >< whoknows what could have happened!

Dave, I think he was joking. I think. ; )

I am liking Silverlake these days. They have a great Roza Riesling (if you like Rieslings.)

Josh was joking about the dishwater, I'm pretty sure.

Umm excuse me, Washington/Oregon dishwater?

Who the hell are you???

You can't find a better Pinot Noir than the from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

And Columbia Crest has a wonderful Sauvignon blanc.

With the handle "josh" how could you take it seriously? teehee